


a gathering storm

by queenofteacups



Series: Where the Sun Sails and the Moon Walks [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Finn Skywalker, Gen, Light Angst, Mother-Son Relationship, Nightmares, baby finn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 16:45:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12392067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenofteacups/pseuds/queenofteacups
Summary: Mara Jade explains to her son what happened to his cousin.





	a gathering storm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [naberiie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/naberiie/gifts).



> This was requested by Naberiie on Tumblr as part of a prompt list, specifically the "be brave, sweetheart" prompt. Naturally, my brain went to angst (as it so often does).
> 
> Takes part in my "Where the Sun Sets" verse, other wise known as the Finn Skywalker AU!

_ “He turned, Mara. Ben joined the Sith. I failed.” _

 

Luke's words echoed in her mind, her gut twisting painfully as she thought of Ben. She’d known him all his life, watched as he became a talented young boy, a cunning warrior, and a kind friend. She laughed at his terrible jokes, helped him improve his form, and showed him how to calm animals with his mind.

 

The thought of Ben walking into the arms of a Sith, of building a lightsaber with a crimson blade, of  _ slaughtering _ innocents horrified her.

 

Mara Jade inhaled sharply, thinking of her own adolescence.

 

_ That kind of darkness stains you, even if you manage to claw your way back to the light, it’s always there, lingering _ , Mara thought.

 

She moved onto the crescent moon shaped balcony, the ground ice cold against her bare feet. There was a chill to the air, signalling the true arrival of Autumn. Mara pulled her cloak closer to her chest and looked out onto the city. Bright lights sparkled and blurred in the distance, some coming from within buildings, others from speeders or billboards. 

 

Coruscant was a planet that never slept. It was always active, no matter the time of day or the weather. It had its own brand of chaos, one that promised adventure to those who sought it out. 

 

She needed to do something. She needed to be out there, finding out information on this Sith, and what their plan was. If she got to beat up some thugs in the process...well, that was just a bonus.

 

“Mama?”

 

Mara squashed all her thoughts of vengeance, action, and loss, and turned to her son. He was standing in the doorway, twisting the hem of his nightshirt as he watched her.

 

Mara squatted down in front of her son, placing her hand against his cheek. His skin was a shade or two lighter than hers, and his eyes sparkled with the same kindness as his father. He was the perfect combination of them both, but was still so utterly unique and so  _ him. _

 

Her heart squeezed in her chest as she thought back to the moment she’d found out she was pregnant, the complications with the pregnancy (all because of that kiffin’ disease), the moment her son had finally come into this world…

 

“What's the matter, Finn?”

 

He gnawed on his bottom lip before he hesitantly replied, “I had a bad dream.”

 

_ Bad dreams.  _ She knew about those all too well...after all, they were the reason she was up at such an ungodly hour, when even most of the servant droids in the Imperial Palace had switched off.

 

“About what?”

 

Finn’s eyes skirted around her, and out the window. His eyes glazed over, like he was in a deep trance. With a start, Mara realized her son was using the Force to remember his dream. Her mouth dried instantly, heart slowing to a crawl in he chest. If Finn could already do  _ this _ by instinct, Force knew what he could do fully trained. 

 

_ Which makes him a target,  _ Mara thought as a sense of cold dread washed over her. The thought of Finn, her baby, a target of the Sith...would they kill him straight away, or turn him like they had Ben?

 

She could feel herself standing on the edge of a cliff that led to a dark abyss, the anger boiling inside of her for what that Sith witch had already done to her family; the fear that became a permanent scar she carried, fear of more loss and another war…

 

She took a few steps back away from the edge, and shoved away her terrifying thoughts, slamming a mental block in place to keep them at bay. 

 

“It was about Ben,” Finn answered as he opened his eyes, which had cleared with recollection. When he continued, his voice was low. “He was doing bad things, mama. Why was he doing bad things?”

 

_ Kriff it all _ , Mara thought as she gazed down at Finn’s face, now clouded with confusion.  _ Kriff you, you stupid Sith. Kriff it all. _

 

She didn't want to explain, couldn't find the words, even as her mind screamed  _ he turned his back on us, baby. He’s not a good person anymore, he’s evil, he’s a Sith, and your father is heartbroken because he thinks it's his fault, and there's nothing I can do. _

 

Aloud, she said: “You know the story of Grandpa Anakin, right?” Finn nodded once. “Well... there's two sides of the Force, the dark and the light. It's a short slope to end up on the Darkside, but it's a constant choice. Your grandfather made that choice, right up until his death. And Ben...Ben fell down that slope.”

 

Finn contemplated her words for a moment, his eyebrows scrunched up in thought. “Is Ben a bad person now?”

 

_ Ah, there's the question.  _

 

“I don't know, sweetie. He made a bad choice, but so far...he hasn't hurt anyone. Maybe there's hope for him.”

 

“Do you think he’ll come back?” Finn asked, unshed tears appearing in his eyes.

 

A lump appeared in her throat and some maternal instinct kicked in and she wrapped her arms around Finn, pulling him close. She held one hand at the back of his head, the other around his shoulders.

 

“I hope so. I really hope he does.” Mara replied, realizing it was true. Beneath the anger, the fear, the pain...there was hope. It wasn't rational to hope, not in regards to something like this, but she couldn't stop it, either.

 

It would hurt later, she knew, when that hope proved unfounded. It would hurt as bad as being stabbed with a lightsaber and the person you love on the other end.

 

But that was hope for you.

 

“In the meantime,” Mara said, regaining her voice as she moved away from Finn. She kept her hands on his arms, unable to let go completely. “I need you to be brave, sweetheart. Okay?”

 

“Because of the storm?” Finn asked somberly. Mara nodded once, then again.

 

“Yeah, because of the storm.” She answered, before Finn launched himself into her arms once more. He felt it in the wind, too.

 

There was a war coming. And Mara wasn't sure if they’d win this one.


End file.
